After a wave of criticism over his Gandhi Jayanti special appearance on Shekhar Tonite, Sanjay Dutt has issued a clarification, saying the comments that sparked the row were part of a scripted comic segment and were never meant to hurt or offend anyone.
Sanjay Dutt Issues Clarification After Online Backlash
The controversy gathered pace after Dutt, during a segment imagining himself as India’s Prime Minister, said he no longer felt the same sense of peace in the country and made remarks that drew strong reactions online. As clips from the episode circulated on social media, the criticism intensified, leading the actor to release a statement on October 4.
“I would like to clarify that it was never my intention to hurt, offend, or disrespect the sentiments of any individual, community, or institution,” Dutt said.
He said the comments were made during a scripted exchange designed as light-hearted humour.
“My remarks were made in the context of a scripted conversation intended to be light-hearted and humorous. The spirit behind them was similar to the humour and satire seen in films like Munna Bhai, particularly the concept of ‘Gandhigiri’, which was intended to convey a message of love, warmth, togetherness, and goodwill,” he said.
“Unfortunately, my words were interpreted outside of that intended context,” he added.
What Sparked The Shekhar Tonite Row
The remarks came during a Gandhi Jayanti themed episode of Shekhar Tonite, where Dutt was asked to imagine himself as Prime Minister for five minutes. The segment leaned on satire and his familiar Munna Bhai screen persona, which has long been associated with Gandhigiri and socially pointed humour. In his clarification, Dutt did not name any political leader and did not withdraw the remarks, but he repeatedly stressed that the exchange was scripted and meant in good humour.
Sanjay Dutt’s Recent And Upcoming Work
On the work front, Dutt has stayed busy across Hindi and southern projects. His recent releases include Leo in 2023, where he appeared alongside Vijay, and Double iSmart in 2024, which saw him return in a high-profile antagonist role.
Looking ahead from October 4, 2026, Dutt is attached to Raja Shivaji, a historical drama directed by Riteish Deshmukh, and C 4, an action-adventure film featuring Ajay Devgn and Tamannaah Bhatia. The line-up reflects his continued presence in big-scale commercial cinema across industries.
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